Business Class Promotion

Right now, during these hard economic times, it's good to come back to the things that are important to you. Like making a living doing what you LOVE to do and are good at!

Being an artist is a wonderful livelihood, but the business aspect of it can be very frustrating, overwhelming, and confusing. Yet, the key to success is not only to be a great artist, it is to be able to market yourself and stay organized. Need help? Pam Corwin of The Business of Crafts and Paper Scissors Rock is just the person you should be talking to! Pam has been a successful artist since 1981, and is FULL of valuable information. She can help you learn the ropes so that you don't have to re-invent the wheel, so to speak. And the bonus? She loves to help other artists be successful! She's currently offering classes on March 14 an 15 in Edmonds, Washington. And here's something even BETTER! If you register for a class and you tell her that BCharmer sent you, you will get a $20.00 discount! HOORAY!! So here's the list of topics to be covered:

Saturday, March 14 (9:00-5:30)
Intro to Marketing
Wholesale Demystified
Lunch with Guest Artists
Artist Panel
Booth Design and Display

Sunday, March 15 (9:30-4:30)
Pricing
Marketing
Guest Retailers Panel
Lunch with Guest Retailers
Small Group Consultations with Artwork

This is a great opportunity for artists to get themselves out there. Pam has taught me so much, and I know you will get a lot out of her class. Can't make this class? Don't worry, she will do more in the future; just keep checking her website, and I will try to let you know of upcoming classes, too! For more information about the class this weekend and to sign up, go to The Business of Crafts

Spring 2

Sunshine, snow, wind, rain, snow, sunshine, etc... it is definitley spring. My husband and I discussed our gardening plans this morning. I'm feeling itchy to plant but must wait!

I'm STILL sick! I'm going to the doctor this afternoon to see if something crazy has invaded my personal space; I have been eating raw garlic, drinking cayenne pepper tea, and using steam to try and clear my head; I'm definitely stinky, but still stuck in NO energy mode. AACK!

Above are some crocuses in our yard that I caught between snowstorms. They cheer me up and help me feel the promise of tomorrow!

Spring

As promised, here is a picture of the blouse that I made. I used a summer weight Italian wool that is super soft and light weight. As it turns out, It was a little big in the chest and the sleeves were a little too short, but it still fits well enough to enjoy wearing it. It is being modeled by my six-year old (size) model, so the fit is wonkey! I'll try to get someone to take a picture of me wearing it so that you can see it better.

It was super beautiful today, and we hosted a little spring party at our house with a gaggle of neighbor kids. They all ran around and yelled and laughed as they took in the fresh air. It was nice.

A New Day

Good morning! I can almost breathe through my nose again, and I am so so glad. I can't believe how long this crud has lasted. I almost never get really sick and I have to say, I just don't know how to cope when it hits me. I try different strategies but mostly I just attempt to push on as best I can. Anyhow, I'm happy to report that in a few more days I will be back to normal! My studio space is a slight disaster with unfinished projects and little bits of thread and fabric clippings on the floor. Normally I am pretty fastidious in my work space because it is SO TINY, but I just haven't had the energy. Now, of course, it feels a little overwhelming with all of its chaos. Today I will clean and put things right so that I can get back to work. That will feel so good! Above is a picture of our last kitty, Fiona. She is so good at relaxing! She helped me through this illness a lot.

I have been working on my first garment project for myself: a peasant blouse with bell bottomed sleeves. I was a little intimidated because I have a hard time following other people's patterns and because I don't normally sew anything that isn't square or rectangular. But I finished it last night and I'm mostly happy with it. I learned how to do a french seam, which is a way of enclosing a seam so that there are no raw edges. A neat trick! I will post pictures of the blouse tomorrow, as I haven't had a chance to photograph it yet.

In BREAKING NEWS: Bronwyn lost her second tooth in the wee hours of this morning! She's growing up so fast, it's just amazing. She woke me up at around 3 am with some fussing sounds. When I went in to check on her, she had her hands in her mouth, clearly working on the tooth. I checked it and the poor little thing was just hanging there. It only took a tiny little tug to free it up, after which, Bronwyn smiled and fell asleep. I'm thinking about making a little necklace that I can keep her baby teeth in. When I say that out loud it sounds kind of weird, but I feel attached to them!

I'm *Almost* Back

My whole family has been sick with a terrible cold/flu. My poor In-Laws arrived just in time to wintess the coughing, sneezing, couch lounging disaster. Luckily, we were well taken care of. I still have food in my freezer that my Mother-in-Law and Husband cooked. Thanks Karen and Brian!

Today I'm feeling a little better. Bronwyn's fever is gone, and she's finally eating again. I'm coughing less and got more sleep last night. And to make things even better, the sun is out! HOORAY! My mood is lifted just being able to see the sun and all of the birds that are getting busy for making babies.

In an update, I was able to raise $34.65 for the Australian Red Cross to benefit the victims of the devastating fires there. That's about $54.00 in Australian currency. Thanks to all of my wonderful customers who made this possible.

That's all for now, I have a lot of catching up to do!

Dear Friends,

I have to apologize for my absence; I have been really sick with some crazy bug that just won't go away! AAACK! But as a quick update, my daughter lost her first tooth! What a joyous moment. I'm not sure why, but I was just thrilled about it. She's getting to be such a big girl!

In sad news, we said goodbye to our good friend and companion kitty Otto this week. He was just getting old and having some issues. It was so hard to say goodbye, but it was the right thing to do. We hope he is frolicking in the summerlands with our other beloved pets that have graced our lives in the past.

My beloved Mother-in-law and her wonderful husband are here for a visit and so I am further distracted having fun! My Mother-in-Law and I took a really great class on how to print fabric using a technique called "Thermafax." It was great fun, and I'm very inspired to start combining my love of drawing with fabric! Stay tuned for some designs.

I promise I haven't forgotten about my blog; I will be back soon. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this new little bag that I've made. The fabric is from Anna Maria Horner's Drawing Room collection. It reminds me of a henna tattoo. The lining is a Civil War reproduction fabric.

A Cool Damp Place

I have a few friends who are artists in Australia; I am worried about them and their fellow residents who are going through the worst bush fires in history. As the news is now reporting, it is believed that the fires were set intentionally, and more than 130 people have lost their lives.

To respond to this, I am going to donate 10% of every sale that I make for the rest of this month to the Australian Red Cross. If you want to donate directly (every penny counts) you can donate online here.